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2.46- random rants Fall 2002
2.47

THE HUNTING PARTY

DVD Review by David Blackwell

 

DETAILS:  101 minutes, 7 deleted scenes, featurette, feature audio commentary, esquire article, original theatrical trailer

VIDEO:   2.35:1 (Anamorphic Widescreen)

AUDIO:  English 5.1 Dolby Digital

Subtitles:  English SDH, Spanish

 

STUDIO:  Weinstein Company/ Intermedia/ Cherry Road

RELEASE DATE:  1-22-2008

THE HUNTING PARTY is inspired by true events.  It is the type of film that would have starred James Coburn if it was made back in the 1960s.  It is the humor in it that made me think that.  Yet THE HUNTING PARTY makes you think whethere the United Nations and the United States are actually interested in catching war criminals after the war is over.  Why print ads and flyers in Serbia with a 800 number that only works in the USA?  You also have the United Nations with policies that don't make sense (watch the scenes with Boris and you get my meaning).  Then you get three journalists who decide they think they can get an interview with a big Serbian war criminal called the Fox (that everyone knows where he is at) and then bring him in for the $5 million reward.  In a nutshell that is what THE HUNTING PARTY is about.  Richard Gere is down-an-out journalist Hunt who has seen better days and also wants revenge for the murder of his Muslim girlfriend (who was carrying his child).  He manages to get his old cameraman Duck (Terrence Howard) and the son of the news network's vice president along for the journey.

 

SPECIAL FEATURES:  The deleted scenes amount to stuff cut for pacing except the last one which ends up being something out of the gag reel (and the 800 number bit which should have been left in).  MAKING THE HUNTING PARTY is basically a quick featurette on how the film came about (the director wanted to do a picture in Iraq which turned into Bosnia), shooting in Sarjevio and Croatia, and more.  writer/director Richard Shepard also does an audio commentary for the film (in addition to his optional commentary on the deleted scenes).  The original theatrical trailer and the Esquire article (by Scott Anderson) that inspired the movie round out the extras.

 

FINAL ANALYSIS:  THE HUNTING PARTY is high drama that makes you think and laugh.  A great satire on the politics after a war.

this DVD Review is (c)5-26-2008 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com

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